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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

David Vitter Fights Back Against Obamacare

I reported yesterday that Senate Republicans and Democrats have declared truce over Obamacare as it relates to congressional staffers and members of Congress themselves. Republicans have decided they will not attack Democrats because they want the exemption too.One member of Congress who is not only enraged by this, but is willing to do something about it, is Louisiana Senator David Vitter. This afternoon he has mailed letters to House and Senate Leaders as well as President Obama, demanding that Congress be treated like everyone else with no exemptions or carve outs for congressional staff.I hope he will hold strong and stand with Senator Mike Lee to oppose funding Obamacare in the continuing resolution. He signed Mike Lee’s letter so I expect we won’t have to worry about that at all. Good for David Vitter taking the lead on this.His letters are below.Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio)Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Dear Congressional Leaders: I write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) recent action to “fix” Obamacare for Members of Congress and their staffs without doing the same for the American people. I urge you to undo this action legislatively as soon as we return to session in September so that Congress stands with the American people and doesn’t treat itself like a higher, select ruling class. The Obamacare statute states very clearly that all Members of Congress and their staffs are to procure their health insurance through the Obamacare Exchange. Just as clearly, it does not reconstitute government support of their present coverage under the separate Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) as payment toward the Exchange. Furthermore, no ordinary American at that income level buying on the Exchange would receive any government subsidy, much less one worth approximately $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for a family, under the OPM rule for Congress only. This bailout simply has been pulled out of thin air under intense and, sadly, bipartisan political pressure. The provision of the OPM rule that allows individual Members of Congress to define what staff is even covered at all is particularly offensive and obnoxious. It’s obviously intended to allow for a significant portion of congressional staff, like leadership staff, to be exempted from even having to deal with the Exchange at all, notwithstanding the whopping subsidy that the rule creates. These recent maneuverings inside the beltway are precisely why the American people rightly despise Congress. OPM’s “solution,” demanded by leading Members of Congress and crafted behind closed doors, is being viewed as an act of self-dealing special treatment – and rightly so. Those with proximity to power have found a way to continue using their large, tax-free FEHBP government subsidies to defray the cost of their new coverage, all while leaving their constituents in the dust. When Congress reconvenes in September, I will be fighting for a legislative fix that requires all Members of Congress, all Congressional staff, the President, Vice President, and all political appointees within their administration to purchase their health insurance on the Obamacare Exchange without the help of huge taxpayer-funded subsidies. Until Obamacare is fully repealed, those elected by the public must abide by the same law Americans are being forced to live with. Sincerely, David VitterUnited States Senator Wednesday, August 07, 2013 The Honorable Barack ObamaPresidentThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President: I write in strong opposition to your recent personal intervention which resulted in the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM’s) “fix” of Obamacare for Members of Congress and their staffs but not for the American people. I urge you to reverse yourself and undo this “fix” so that Congress stands with the American people and doesn’t receive the treatment of a higher, select ruling class. You recently announced that you would be procuring your family’s health insurance through the Obamacare Exchange. We also request that you impose this same treatment on all political appointees in your administration without the benefit of taxpayer-funded subsidies. They should live by the same laws and requirements as average, middle class Americans, not be exempt like a privileged ruling elite. Perhaps if they and Congress did have to live under these same rules, things would be changed quickly for the better. The Obamacare statute states very clearly that all Members of Congress and their staffs are to procure their health insurance through the Obamacare Exchange. Just as clearly, it does not reconstitute government support of their present coverage under the separate Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) as payment toward the Exchange. Furthermore, no ordinary American at that income level buying on the Exchange would receive any government subsidy, much less one worth approximately $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for a family, under the OPM rule for Congress only. This bailout simply has been pulled out of thin air under intense and, sadly, bipartisan political pressure. The provision of the OPM rule that allows individual Members of Congress to define what staff is even covered at all is particularly offensive and obnoxious. It’s obviously intended to allow for a significant portion of congressional staff, like leadership staff, to be exempted from even having to deal with the Exchange at all, notwithstanding the whopping subsidy that the rule creates. These recent maneuverings inside the beltway are precisely why the American people rightly despise Congress. OPM’s “solution,” crafted under intense political pressure and behind closed doors, is being viewed as an act of self-dealing special treatment – and rightly so. Those with proximity to power have found a way to continue using their large, tax-free FEHBP employer subsidies to defray the cost of their new coverage, all while leaving their constituents in the dust. When Congress reconvenes in September, I will be fighting for a legislative fix that requires all Members of Congress, all Congressional staff, the President, Vice President, and all political appointees in your administration to purchase their health insurance on the Obamacare Exchange without the help of taxpayer-funded subsidies. Make our legislative fix unnecessary. Please do this yourself, and do it now. Until Obamacare is fully repealed, those elected by the public should abide by the same laws Americans are being forced to live with. Sincerely, David VitterUnited States Senator